On the day after the Redskins gave struggling, 33 year-old quarterback Donovan McNabb a 5-year, $78 million contract extension and followed that up with a 59-28 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the team warned other Redskins player that they could also receive lucrative, long-term deals if their play does not improve.

"We're not bluffing," said owner Daniel Snyder. "I think we have a track record that shows that here in Washington. Fail to perform and you'll get paid."

While that approach may seem counter-intuitive as far as building a winner, the Redskins owner argues it is completely logical.

"I'm the biggest Redskins fan there is," said Snyder. "But I'm also a realist and this is a terrible team. And it has been for years. No player who has had the misfortune of finding his way onto the team — be it by the draft, via trade or through the poor advice of an agent to sign hire — should want to stay. So the only way to NOT get a longterm deal to play here, the only way to become free, is to play well and win. See? It makes perfect sense now, doesn't it?"

McNabb, who has always been an inconsistent quarterback, has seen his play decline in recent years and was benched in his previous start for established NFL disaster Rex Grossman. As punishment, he is now forced to play with the Redskins through the 2015 season when he will be 38 — long after a successful team would have any interest in employing him.

"It's disappointing," said McNabb. "Getting paid a ton of money by the Redskins is not the way I imagined my career ending."

Grossman, who fumbled in his only series on the field this season, is reportedly close to signing a 10-year, $115 million extension.